Assault Ban Expires

At midnight Monday, a federal ban on the manufacture of 19 "military style" semi-automatic rifles, ceratin shotguns and ammunition clips "holding more than 10 rounds" expired. In 2000, President Bush ran in support of the ban; he did nothing to encourage Congress to act on an extension, although he said he would sign the bill should it arrive on his desk. Sen. Kerry said little publicly about the ban until the eve of its expiration, although he has urged its extension.

An Annenburg survey notes that 68 percent (+/- 1 percent) of American adults wanted to see the ban extended; 57 percent of those with a gun in the home and 32 percent of NRA members supported a continuance of the ban. Annenburg reports that no demographic showed less than 60 percent support for the ban, with women showing the most support. Read more, including a list of affected guns.